Zutarabbles
by jiunutninja
Summary: Ah, random Zutara. Gotta love it. --drabbles and one-shots--
1. Stupid Lesson

**Well this is it. For your Zutarian enjoyment and pleasure (I hope), I've started a drabble/one-shot series, like most people who have their brains ravaged by countless merciless plot bunnies. And just like those other people, I don't wanna go crazy by trying to ignore them. So here we go! (oh and I'm really surprised the name "Zutarabbles" wasn't taken. BOO-YAH FOR ME. 8D)**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Title:** Stupid Lesson  
**Rating**: K+  
**Word count:** 1341  
**Summary:** Sometimes little things, like learning something new, can be trying on Katara's health.

* * *

Katara never really regretted her actions. She never really felt the need to rethink the things she does, so it didn't register in Katara's mind that this most recent action would be a bad, _bad _decision.

Stupid Zuko.

_"Hey Zuko, teach me your dancing dragon dance."_

_"What? Why?"_

_"C'mon, we have nothing to do while everyone is in town! Aren't you just a teeny bit bored?"_

_"...Alright."_

Stupid boredom.

Stupid mouth.

Stupid Zuko.

"Okay now you lift your arms out and straighten your back... yes, exactly. Now lift your chin... not that high... yeah that's it." Zuko stood behind Katara, almost flush against her back, as he held her arms out with his hands. His stupid warm breath was all over the back of her ear, making that and the other one heat up. Not to mention his stupid nakedness kept pressing against her whenever he would fix her posture here and there. She felt herself stiffen when Zuko's very naked chest pressed into her shoulders. "Katara, why're you so tense? Relax."

How could she relax when he was all but man-handling her? This isn't how you teach someone anything! He was completely doing this on purpose-- taking advantage of her acceptance and forgiveness for him—that stupid arrogant jerk.

"I _am _relaxed! You're just teaching me incorrectly." She growled out, nonetheless keeping her stance straight, tipping only slightly when his hands skimmed her forearms lightly.

"How am I incorrectly teaching you, Katara? Stop being ridiculous and _relax_." He whispered the last word, as if telling a scandalous secret. Damnit, had she even asked to hear a secret? No! "Zuko, I think I've got it."

"No no, you still need to adjust your left leg alittle... no, up more... no don't bend it so much... here, hold on." With that he knelt infront of her and his warm hands (stupid firebender) landed on her thigh and calf muscles of her left leg, gently lifting it up and re-adjusting it. Why couldn't she have been doing something other than practicing her bending in the lake before this? Why couldn't she have added more clothing to herself? _Because Zuko meditating, shirtless I might add, drew you to him like a moth-fly to a flame, so you didn't think twice of his and yours' apparel.  
_  
Stupid deceitful brain.

"If you would just relax the muscles in your thigh, you'd get this stance a lot quicker, Katara." He murmured as his soft fingers trailed her across her thigh. _Trailed, Katara? He_ poked _your thigh_. Stupid know-it-all brain. Stupid soft Zuko-fingers. "Yeah well, my form doesn't have to be perfect too--"

"You asked to be taught, so here I am-- teaching. "

"Fine fine, _Sifu Hotman._" She grinned at his scowl, knowing _all too well_ he disliked the nickname Aang had affectionately given him.

"_Why does he call me that ridiculous name!? I never did anything to hi—"_

"_Oh sure, and chasing him around the world, trying to capture him then hiring a one-eyed beefy assassin after his head isn't anythi—"_

"_Okay! Okay fine, I get it. But still, he doesn't have to call me 'Sifu Hotman.' Why doesn't he call you anything like that?"_

_"He does. It's the same as yours, Zuko: 'Sifu Katara.'" _

"_Sifu Katara?"_

"_Yup! Doncha like the ring it has?"_

"_No. And that's not the same as mine; I have that absurd nickname! Why doesn't he call you… call you…call… you…"_

"_Don't hurt yourself, Sharpy."_

"_Shut up. Why doesn't he call you 'Sifu Coldman' or something? Water's cold."_

"_Not necessarily."_

"_Why not?"_

"'_Cause not _all_ forms of water are cold, Sifu Hotman."_

Katara submitted and drew a deep breath, pushing out the image of topless Zuko out of her mind. She relaxed considerably as the image of topless Aang came to mind, and her muscles loosened.

"There you go, _Sifu Iceman._" He whispered against her ear earning a small shiver. Zuko didn't know why, but being in such close proximities with this waterbender made him feel rather… _bold._

He coughed and righted himself as he got behind her and took to the task of setting up the next stance. "Okay Katara, we can do the next stance." She nodded and.. gulped? Zuko quirked an eyebrow at this but didn't question it, instead he let his gaze wander down her curly brown tresses to her backside. He caught himself staring for the fifth time that lesson and blushed, looking away.

He didn't know how his afternoon had turned out to this, but he wasn't complaining-- in fact, he was enjoying himself. His new found forgiveness had lifted the tension between them allowing them to get closer as friends, unfortunately, it felt like their interaction was always accompanied with a certain _different_ sort of tension. "Zuko?"

"Wuh?" Came his intellectual reply. "What're you doing? My leg's starting to cramp up!"

"Oh oh, sorry sorry. Here, the next stance you should kick out and stretch out your leg... yeah, don't bend your knee... and bend over to accommodate the pose-- farther, yeah there you go." Katara bit her lip as she watched Zuko kneel beside her and mirror her form, comparing and contrasting. Why did he have to be so passionate about everything? It's not like she was going to use this dance in the future, she had just wanted to pass the time. Why need everything so perfect? And what was with that stupid nickna-- _Oh, Tui._

Zuko didn't look at her as he slowly let his eyes wander down her unbent leg, "If it's uncomfortable, you're doing it wrong. Here." With that he reached over, placing that stupid warm hand on her thigh again and trailed it -- _Okay, I admit he is _so _trailing_ _this time_-- down her leg, leaving a streak of goose bumps. She felt her breath catch and she closed her eyes again, imagining Aang. Aang wouldn't touch her like this. He was much too respectful of her space. Yup. Aang's hands wouldn't be this soft or warm or leave her wanting to be touched everywhere else. AangAangAangAangAangAangAang_Oh, Zuko_.

"...uhm, yes?"

Her eyes popped open. Did she just say that out loud? Oh, Spirits, just kill her. "Uh... hi?" _Smooth, Katara, very smooth. _He blinked and coughed, forcing a chuckle through his lips. "Hi."

"So um... how am I looking?" _Amazing_. Zuko cleared his throat again and backed up alittle, inspecting their positions. Form. Dancing-dragon form. "Perfect." Zuko couldn't lie, right?

A new coat of tension and silence enveloped them as they caught eachothers gaze and stilled. Stupid golden eyes. Stupid royal tongue wetting stupid royal lips. Stupid body, leaning in like this. Why is his face getting closer?

"Thanks." Katara whispered as she neared his face, her eyes flickering down to his lips again before looking up again at his gorgeous stupid eyes. Their breathing mingled, the centimeters slowly diminishing between their parted lips, and finally--

"HEY, KATARA! GUYS! WE'RE BACK!"

They sprang apart and sat a respectful distance from eachother, catching slightly labored breaths. Sokka, Toph, and Aang came over the hill and towards them, carrying supplies.

"Woah... what happened here? Did someone attack or somethin'? Your hearts are hopping around like two headless monkey-chickens in heat." Toph inquired, the care in her words failing to match the knowing smirk on her face.

No answer came as Katara, composing herself first, got up quickly and walked to Sokka. Without a word, she took a bag that held their new supply of food and all but ran towards the camp, somewhat huskily declaring she was going to "cook dinner." Zuko too got up, but headed the opposite direction, gruffly declaring he would be off "meditating" under his breath. Aang and Sokka looked at eachother with clueless expressions and shrugged. Toph, on the other hand, grinned cheekily and walked away, snorting something about things getting "good."

Meanwhile, both teacher and student's thoughts wandered back to the end of the lesson, to what almost was, and then to the who and the how of the interruption.

...Stupid Aang.

**End.**


	2. PDA

**Title: **PDA  
**Rating: **K+  
**Wordcount: **556  
**Summary: **For Zutara Week's "Pinch" -- Katara is not amused by Zuko's new display of affection.

* * *

Katara suddenly jerked up in reaction as her cheeks heated. With an accusatory glare, she harshly whispered to the person beside her.

"Zuko, stop."

"Stop what?"

"You know what. Stop it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do!"

"No. I don't."

"Don't play dumb with me, you know exactly what you're doing."

"I honestly don't! You always blame stuff on me and I never end up being at fault!"

"Well _this _time you are!"

"Okay fine, whatever. I'll stop."

"You better."

A moment passed before she jumped again, and this time her fingers clenched around the bowl that held her dinner.

"Zuko!"

"What did I do now?"

"You know _what_! And stop acting like you don't! It's getting annoying!"

"Oh so, I'm annoying now? How am I annoying you if I'm not even doing anything!?"

"Okay seriously, that's getting old. Just admit what you're doing and stop doing it!"

"I have nothing to admit or stop! I'm just sitting here, like everyone else, eating my dinner!"

"Yeah, but after a few moments you'll do it again!"

"What? Swallow?"

"Shut. Up! Don't get smart with me, _princess_! You and I _both_ know what you've been doing all this time and it's _not_ swallowing!"

"Then, please, enlighten me! What have I been doing that's caused you to unnecessarily point fingers?"

"You keep on pinching me!"

"What? No, I haven't!"

"Yes, you have! Now stop! It's _not_ cute. Especially in front of everybody else!"

"In front of... How is everybody else supposed to see what I'm doing when I'm _not_ even doing it?"

"Why do you continue to believe that you aren't?! Cause you perfectly _are_ too!"

"Alright so I've been _apparently_ pinching you. Where would I pinch you that's gotten you this worked up?"

"You'vebeenpinchingmybuttsostopokay?"

"What? Ya have to slow down, Ka--"

"MY _BUTT_ OKAY? _STOP_ PINCHING MY BUTT, ZUKO!"

Silence.

The waterbender and firebender froze, suddenly remembering where they were, staring at eachother with wide eyes. Slowly, they craned their necks to look into the wide eyes of their audience.

Multiple stares bored holes at both benders. Those of which ranged from a confused, slightly scared stare of the young Avatar, to enraged squinty-stares that of two Water Tribe men, to glazed ones that belonged to a delightfully amused master earthbender.

"Look... I-I don't know what she--"

"ZUKO!"

"YOUNG MAN!"

"_BOUT_ TIME, SPARKY!"

"...Uh oh."

And the quiet, peaceful ambiance of the group's dinner was shattered.

There was one embarrassed and blushing waterbender, trying to comfort a sad and confused airbender. The blind earthbending prodigy, joyfully enjoying the unexpected turn dinnertime had taken, was holding her gut as loud guffaws rumbled out of her. And two enraged kin of the waterbender, both waving their respective weapons of choice, chased down said waterbenders' secret boyfriend.

Well ... former secret boyfriend, that is.

We all know that the former prince is a bad liar. So, to the crime that sparked this catastrophe, you ask: "Just _who_ framed this firebender for his blatant, unwanted display of affection?"

Who knows.

Alls I know is that a furry winged lemur was quietly napping away in the spot that the waterbender had once occupied, dreaming of days when he could sit atop his best friend's saddle, munching on mixed berries and a variety of tasty bugs.

_**fin**_**.**


	3. Silent Admirer

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe--

_**SNAP!**_

_What was that?_ "Who's there? Hello?" My question goes unanswered as I open my eyes and look around suspiciously. I could have sworn someone was here...

_Hmm, oh well, seems to have been nothing._ I shake my head lightly. _It's almost dawn-- better get the Avatar up._

* * *

**.:The Next Day:.**

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe--

I still without opening my eyes. _Someone's here. I can feel it. Maybe if I... don't... move--_

"SIFU HOTMAN! BREAKFAST IS READY, C'MON!"

I growl, breaking my concentration to find my unseen, unwelcomed guest. Damn it, thanks to that little outburst they're probably long gone. I was so close.

_And Agni__, damn that nickname! Why must he torment me with that ridiculous name!?_

"Alright, I'm coming." I get up and pull on my shirt, heading towards camp. "And STOP calling me that!"

* * *

**.:The Next Day:.**

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe--

I can certainly feel it now. No doubt about it. There is someone here... watching me. I'll just slow my breathing and catch them off guard!

Keep your breathing in check. Control the rate of breathing. Keep the pattern. Don't let them know that you kno--

**-gasp!-**

"AH HA...ah...?" I scream victoriously, jumping up and pointing at.. nothing. I frowned. Instead of catching my meditation-stalker, I blinked into the deep colors of dawn.

_I could've swor--_

**RIBBIT!**

My gaze flew downwards and into a blank stare that of an armadillo-toad.

_Deja vu._

"..."

"..."

"...I'm not crazy. I know someone-- other than you-- was here."

"RIBBIT."

"..."

"RIBBIT RIBBIT."

"Shut up."

* * *

**.:The Next Day (or the day I _pretend_ to meditate):.**

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe--

Warm breath. Warm breath on my face. There is warm breath on my face that isn't mine. It smells ...good. Also, faintly like the sea.

_Wait a second... the sea? No way. No it couldn't be--_

"Katar-- AGHHHHH!"

Ice! Why the hell is there ice on my eyes?! It burns!

"WHAT THE HELL!"

**.:The Same Day:.**

_Oh Tui, he almost caught me. That was too close._

"Hey Katara!"

I jump, like I had been caught with my hands in the goody-bag. "Hey Aang."

"Whatcha doin'?"

I bite my lip as I feel my cheeks burn. _Not watching Zuko meditate. Not getting close to his face. Not trying to do anything with his lips. Not losing my mind._ "O-Oh nothing. Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure thing!"

"If Zuko comes here in a fury asking for me, say I'm out taking a bath?"

"Okay!"

"Thanks Aang!" I shout in a hurry as I jet not towards to the baths (I doubt, under the circumstances, Zuko would care about modesty) but instead, to my room.

_**fin.**_


End file.
